Team:WPI-Worcester/Outreach
Outreach
Touch Tomorrow
On June 13th, we participated in TouchTomorrow, an annual science, engineering, and robotics festival hosted on the WPI campus that is free and open to the public. We provided several all-ages activity stations related to synthetic biology. The first was DNA extraction from strawberries and peas, the product of which participants were invited to wear in tubes around their necks. The second was a glowing bacteria area, where participants could use UV flashlights to look at art made from fluorescent E. coli and play tic-tac-toe or complete puzzles using (sealed) plates. The final station was a simulation of a water contamination test, where guests could smell three bacterial cultures and decide based on the smell which water was clean, and which was “contaminated,” to demonstrate the ability of genetically modified E. coli to detect contaminants by producing a banana smell in response to heavy metals, and a wintergreen smell in response to antibiotics. (No contaminants were actually added due to safety considerations; the cultures were simply spiked with the smells the modified bacteria would have produced if the contaminants were present.) Each station was accompanied by an informational poster.
Our activities reached hundreds of people: more than 300 DNA extractions were performed, using up over 17 pounds of strawberries and more than 5 liters of isopropanol.
Women In Science
We participated in the Women in Science summer camp, a camp run by WPI every year in which middle school girls are given the opportunity to learn about many different engineering and science disciplines. We had 30 girls come to learn about synthetic biology and gain some hands-on experience in working with DNA. There were two activities for them to experience: simple DNA extraction using soap, salt and alcohol, and painting using fluorescent E. coli. At the first station, the girls extracted DNA from either strawberries or blueberries, and found the mass of the resultant DNA to compare the two fruits - the data is shown below. When they were done, they got to take the DNA home with them in a test tube necklace. At the second station they were shown how E. coli that have been modified with different fluorescence genes glow different colors under UV light. They were then able to paint two of their own designs using a combination of red and green fluorescent bacteria.
Women in Science Day Camp DNA Extraction Data
